Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to change the Rules of the House. 

“Governing is difficult, especially as we are fighting this invisible enemy,” said Burgess. “Nevertheless, it is legislative malpractice to alter the fundamental functioning of this body without bipartisan support and without clarifying numerous procedural and technical questions.”

“Congress is so named because we congregate together in service of the American people. To digress to remote hearings, markups, and proxy voting disrupts the way the founders intended for the governance of this country.

“I recognize the need for some vulnerable individuals to continue social distancing and accommodations for those individuals is appropriate. But this resolution allows successive 45-day periods of remote operations until the end of the Congress based only on the decision of the Speaker of the House. In addition, allowing one Member to be the proxy for up to 10 other Members would allow 22 Members to pass legislation on behalf of the entire body. That is not representative government. This was not the intention of the Founders, and I will not give away the vote of the people of the 26th district of Texas to someone they did not elect. 

“We have all experienced throughout the last weeks and months inevitable technical difficulties, even for the tech savvy. There is no way to replicate the procedures, tools, and minority rights of committee markups virtually. In a majoritarian body, we cannot risk silencing a voice speaking on behalf of constituents because a wrong button is pushed, or a connection is lost. 

“Congress is resilient. Now let’s get back to work on behalf of the American people.”